Failure to Protect
by Tiva-McAbby4Life
Summary: When Abby is abducted days before Halloween the team must save her before she is killed as a sacrifice/for revenge. What 'sins' is she preparing to die for? Will she be saved in time? Contains some McAbby and Tiva - though not the focus. T - to be safe
1. Chapter 1: A Friend in Need

**NCIS FanFic**

**Abby. S / Tim. M – Possible McAbby**

**Abby Halloween – Failure to Protect**

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><p>Chapter 1 - A Friend in Need<p>

Abby was in her lab or 'Labby' as she had named her headquarters. She stepped back from her desk to admire the decorations she had carefully set up around the lab. She was satisfied with how it looked, though, who wouldn't be? The bubbly Goth had a flare all her own when it came to her favourite time of the year and, just like the many years before, she had done her favourite holiday justice. Halloween, the spookiest day of the year! Although when she had spoken excitedly about it to the rest of Gibbs' team earlier that day Tony had kindly pointed out that every day was Halloween for Abby, she had replied by stating that that was only on the days when it wasn't another special holiday. As Abby scanned her crib she saw the small rubber spiders that hung from every light and every piece of machinery in the room, there was also pumpkins with faces carved into them, with candles sitting inside them ready to be lit the next morning, on every bench top that had been clear only hours earlier when the rest of the team had gone home. She had also placed fake cobwebs and skeletons in every corner, along with countless other spooky decorations in various parts of the room; she had really outdone herself this year. Abby got her black skull backpack and put it on her back before making her way over to the light switch, flicking it, and plunging the lab into darkness. As she walked over to the elevator she checked her watch.

_11.10pm _Abby thought to herself surprised that she had stayed so late, no wonder the building was dormant.

As Abby walked across the parking lot towards her car, she found it easily as is was the only car left in the buildings parks, she got the strangest feeling, though she couldn't put her finger on it. She felt unsettled none the less and increased her pace slightly, suddenly she stopped in her tracks, she heard the clang of what sounded like a piece of metal pipe hit the concrete and roll across the ground behind her. Suddenly very nervous and recognising the feeling she had as the sense that someone was following her she started to run towards her car, moments later she stopped in front of the vehicle and started fumbling with her keys in the car door's lock, looking over her shoulder a few times in a panic. Finally her frantic efforts to open the car door paid off and she leapt inside and slammed the door shut behind her. She sat there for a moment perfectly still before she let the breath she had stifled escape in a sigh of relief. She gave herself a moment to steady her breathing before she turned the key in the ignition and drove out of the building.

_Halloween is going to your head and it's still four days away! It's only Monday night! This is not one of Tony's stupid horror movies, this is real life and you are perfectly safe. Stop over reacting! _Abby tried to reason with herself, though the uneasy feeling had returned as she neared her apartment and she found it impossible to shake. It was now midnight and she was exhausted. She parked the car and turned off the engine. She put on her backpack and entered her apartment. She had just finished climbing the steps to the second floor and had just heard the lock click in the door. She put opened the door and put her keys on the bench and walked into her bedroom. She didn't hear the, now unlocked , door silently swing open and a man in black gloves and a ski mask lead two other men, similarly dressed, into her apartment. All three men were slightly taller than Tony and McGee and built up like pro wrestlers. Abby's bedroom door swung open and hit the wall with a loud bang and she swung around, her pigtails whipping around with her, to see three huge men, seemingly faceless in the dark room lit only by the dull moonlight. She started to scream but one of the men slapped a strong hand tightly over her mouth, forcing her head backwards. She bit down on his finger as hard as she could until she tasted blood when she pierced his flesh, as the man groaned relacing his grip on her because of the pain, Abby ran back out into the main room towards the front door but saw to her horror that one of the other men was standing in front of it blocking her only exit. She was trapped.

As Abby struggled to find a way of escape, she decided that she needed a weapon to defend herself while she searched for a way out. Though she never saw the third man come out on the bathroom directly across from her, he stepped forward and punched his iron fist into the side of her delicate face. She was thrown back from the sheer force of the impact and her small frame smashed into the glass coffee table on the other side of the room. The glass shattered around her leaving her porcelain skin covered in small cuts and her body impaled with small shards of glass. From sheer willpower she managed to roll herself off the table and pick up a metal leg of the table that had broken free from the table under the force. The three men coming towards her to collect her weak figure off the floor never saw the attack coming. She smashed the metal rod firstly into one of the men's shin and then into the side of one of the other men's face and then hit the third assailant in the back they all fell to the flood crying out in pain. Abby pulled her weak legs over to where her cell phone lay on the ground and pressed two on her speed dial.

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><p>McGee had woken suddenly at just after midnight with the sickening feeling that something was wrong. He tried to go back to sleep but he couldn't shake the sinking feeling inside of him. Something was definitely wrong, he could feel it. When moments later his cell phone rang he picked it up still slightly groggy.<p>

"McGee" he said rather flatly

"Timmy!" Abby's frantic voice on the other end of the link snapped him awake in a split second.

"Abby, what's wrong!"

"Three men...in my apartment...masked...threw me into...glass table...now unconscious...please Timmy! H-help m-me!" Her desperate plea broke his heart like fragile crystal, she was gasping for breath and struggled to speak and sounded as though she was struggling to stay conscious.

Hold on, I'm coming now! Keep your phone on, just stay with me Abby!"

There was silence for a moment and Tim was just about to ask her if she was still with him when the silence was sliced in half like a hot knife cutting through butter.

"Tim...they're waking up...Tim hurry please!"

"I'm coming Abby" he called as he got into his car and put the pedal to the floor, he drove faster than Ziva or Gibbs ever had. He had to reach Abby, she needed him and he had to protect her! He couldn't live without her! Even at this speed her place was still 10 minutes away. His thoughts were forced out of his mind when he heard Abby's voice coming through the phone he was still holding.

He heard Abby scream a blood curdling scream filled with fear, desperation and sheer terror. A second of silence before her voice broke through the phone again.

"No...p-p-please, leave me alone! Get your h-hands **off** me!" She screamed

"Abby!"

_Silence_

"**Abby!" **Tim shouted again even louder.

He heard the sickening crack of bone and Abby scream in pain, the sound of something hard bang against something else and then, suddenly Abby was silent.

Nothing for a moment and then he heard the faintest whisper

"Timmy"

"Abby!" He cried

He received no reply, though he heard the footsteps of a large man.

Suddenly furious he yelled at the man on the other end of the line "Answer the phone you _sonofabitch_!"

That got the man attention and he picked up Abby's phone and said in a gruff, menacing tone "What do you want cop?"

_How did he know I am a cop? _Was the first question that hit McGee when the reply came, but the thought only lasted a second before his rage returned.

In a voice so threatening it would have stunned Gibbs Tim replied "Touch her again and I will rip your heart out!"

There was no reply for a moment as the man on the other end seemed shocked by the tone of the voice and then, when he had composed himself he spoke again.

The man's tone was so dark McGee shuddered slightly, when the voice spoke, chilling him to his soul "Your _girlfriend_ is going to suffer great pain because you couldn't protect her" a moment's pause and then "...and you failed to save her".

**_A/N: Hi everyone :D this is my first ever fanfic so please tell me what you think :) I'm open to constructive criticism, but please be gentle :) hope you enjoy this chapter :) please review!_**


	2. Chapter 2: Sense of Duty

Chapter 2 – Sense of Duty

Like to just thank my friends (names modified, but they know who they are ;) ) Brin, Fecky, Mat, Caura, Wavyn.

Special thanks to my first ever reviewer for you support! Thanks mssilenthorse :)

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, added favourite/or alerted on this story or me. I read all of the reviews and they all made me smile :D

Enjoy this chapter :D

Chapter 2 – Sense of Duty

Tim sped into Abby's street, slamming his breaks when he reached the block. He flew up the flight of stairs and when he reached her apartment he pushed the door open. He knew it wouldn't be locked. Tim raised his weapon and walked inside, instantly struck with horror at the nightmarish scene around him. Still battling against the shock of the destruction around him he put his gun away and pulled out his cell.

"Gibbs" Came the stern, gruff male voice from the other end of the line.

"Boss, I need you, Ziva and Tony at Abby's place now, something's... happened" McGee's stuttered, not even trying to hide the shocked tone it carried.

Gibbs harshly flicked his phone shut and looked at his team. He grabbed his badge and gun and walking toward the elevator he called over his shoulder at his bewildered agents.

"Grab your gear"

The pair sprung into action grabbing their weapons and badges

Tony called "On your six, Boss" and ran toward the elevator, Ziva right behind him.

Tim scanned the room as he slid his phone back into his trouser pocket. A glass table was shattered to pieces, leaving jagged shards of glass littering the floor. He followed a trail of blood with his eyes until they fixed on a cell phone, Abby's cell phone. Tim put on a glove that was in his pocket and picked it up of the floor, his hand shaking very slightly. The phone was covered in smears of blood, just like almost everything else in the room. He felt sick as his mind began to replay everything she had said to him. How she had desperately pleaded for help, his help. The sound of, what must have been, Abby getting struck with something and hitting the ground followed by the desperate, shocked whisper of his name. Then, the words that had struck his soul, "...you couldn't protect her, and you failed to save her". The agent felt his spirit crush as he realised, Abby's captor was right, he had failed Abby when she needed him most. This was his fault.

At that moment Gibbs, followed closely by Ziva and Tony, entered the apartment and stood before a slightly pale Tim. The young agent squinted his eyes waiting for the painful roar from his senior agent. Moments later it came as Gibbs yelled.

"What in the hell happened, McGee?" Anger rose from deep within him when he had seen the bloody hand prints on the white walls and the devastation around him. Getting no response from his youngest agent he looked deep into Tim's eyes and saw how hurt he really was, Gibbs lowered his voice and said again, placing a hand on Tim's shoulder.

"What happened Tim?" McGee was pulled from his own thoughts of pain and guilt when he had heard his name as, not McGee, but Tim. Gibbs was worried, that was the only time he called him Tim. McGee was worried too, he had failed to save the woman he would have died for, the woman who meant so much to him. He had failed to protect Tony's little sister and Ziva's best friend.

Gibbs was momentarily lost in his thoughts too. The only thing he could feel right now, was the pain of knowing that his daughter was in trouble, but he sure as hell was going to save her before he lost her like he had lost Kelly. He had to keep it together, for all of their sakes.

Gibbs was pulled from his wandering mind when McGee finally spoke. He took in a slightly shaky breath and replied to his team.

"I was too late, they got her."

Silence filled the room.

Gibbs' troubled eyes stared blankly, at nothing. Ziva looked ready to kill someone, a murderous glint of rage in her emerald eyes. Tony looked shocked and confused, wondering if he could live without his little sister.

Gibbs finally broke the pensive silence.

"Treat this like any other crime scene. Ziva, witness statements, Tony, photo's", he paused for a moment, concerned for his youngest agent but quickly recovered his thoughts, "McGee, bag and tag, everyone get to work!"

Once the team had dispersed and started doing their designated job, Gibbs walked over to where McGee was still standing, looking blankly around him. Gibbs took a deep breath and looked at McGee. Once he returned his gaze, Gibbs asked "Are you ok, McGee?"

Tim thought about this for a moment before replying meekly "I don't really know Boss"

Gibbs could see the guilt in McGee's face and he whispered to his agent, "This, this is not your fault, Tim"

A shadow fell over McGee's face as he looked down at the floor and sighed, "I wish that was true, Boss"

With that, Tim left, and entered into Abby's bedroom to start bagging and tagging the evidence.

Concern rose inside Gibbs as he watched his agent leave the room. They had to get Abby back, before his team fell apart at the seams.


	3. Chapter 3: Silent Tears

**Chapter 3 – Silent Tears**

**Thanks again for all of your amazing reviews! :D Making me smile and inspiring me to keep writing! To those people I can't get back to privately who reviewed. Thank you :)**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own NCIS**

Chapter 3 – Silent Tears

Abby's eyes flickered open. It took a moment for them to adjust to the darkness of the room. It still must have been only early hours of the morning. She looked around, but couldn't see much. She realized that she was sitting on a metal chair, it was bolted to the concrete floor beneath her feet. She tied to move her hands only to realise that they were tied with, what felt like rope, behind her back. Her feet were in a similar state. A thicker rope was wound around her chest and the back of the chair, binding them together.

Her eyes had finally adjusted and she scanned the room again. It was completely empty, other than four blank, white walls and a metal door that was tightly shut. There was no escape this time, she really was trapped.

A slow creak of the metal door filled the Goth with fear. She hoped it was Gibbs or McGee. Tony or Ziva. Anyone who could help her. She prayed they had found her, though a sinking feeling in her stomach reminded her that she was probably wrong. The three men from the attack at her apartment didn't enter the room. It was someone else. Not as well built, when it came to muscles, though his figure seemed strong enough to restrain her if he had to. As the man stepped out of the darkness of the door frame, horror struck her and her emerald eyes filled with terror. She knew this man, and he knew her. This was going to be painful, and all she suddenly was praying for was a quick, painless death.

The team was back at the office now, excluding Gibbs who had gone for coffee several minutes earlier. They sat at their desks in the bullpen. Working hurriedly, but still lost in their troubled thoughts. Suddenly from out of no-where Gibbs walked into the bullpen, coffee in hand.

He called sternly at his team "Talk to me."

All three members hurriedly stood, grabbing the files they had been working on, and briskly walked to the centre point of the desks where Gibbs now stood. Ziva held the remote in her hand to change the images on the screen that they now all faced.

She clicked the button and as an image of the apartment appeared on the screen, she said "Abby's apart..." she faulted under Gibb's stern gaze now directed at her, she quickly rephrased the sentence she had started "The crime scene was covered in debris and blood, obviously caused by a struggle." Tony grabbed the remote from the Israeli's hand and took over as he noticed his team member struggling to keep her emotions in check. Rarely a problem for Ziva.

"We have no fingerprints, other than Abby's, on anything in the apartment. These guys know what they were doing, Boss".

"So we have nothing." Gibbs said gruffly. "You tell me the minute you find something! That better be by the time I get back!" With that, he left the bullpen entering the lift.

The team sat down again and Tony looked over at Ziva, obviously concerned. Ziva never opened up to anyone and rarly showed her feelings to other people. Maybe he had been wrong. Maybe, just maybe, Ziva was more of a sister to Abby than he knew.

I few minutes later, Ziva rose from her desk and said to her team, rather quietly. "I will be back in a moment."

She proceeded to move, quite quickly, towards the elevator. Tony didn't particularly want to leave Tim right now, but Ziva needed him, and he would be there for her.

"I'll be back in a sec, Probie." He called as he ran to catch the elevator before the doors closed. He made it and stepped inside. When the lift doors shut for good and the elevator started moving, Tony flicked the emergency stop switch. He turned to face Ziva. Their eyes met, and they locked on each other for a few moments before something that had never happened before, happened. Ziva broke down. She started sobbing softly, tears falling gently from her now closed eyes. Tony moved over to where she stood and wrapped his arms around her. He had expected her to try and push away from his embrace, though instead, she crumbled into it. Her hands gripped the front of his T-shirt and her head rested against his chest. He held her more firmly with his hands resting on her back and just let her cry. Her tears soaked through his shirt. Tony stroked her hair softly with one hand, the other holding her to him.

"Tony." She sobbed, her head still resting on his chest. "I'm so worried about her."

He pulled her into his arms even tighter and just whispered into her ear. "I know." He paused for a moment before he continued, "me too."

She relaxed her grip on his shirt and looking into his strong eyes, silent tears still running down her face. She seemed to suddenly realise just how much she had opened up to him, in a way that she had never done before. She took a few hasty steps away from him and turned to face the closed metal doors of the lift. Ziva wiped her tears on the sleave of her shirt, sniffed back the tears that she had now forbidden to fall. Tony looked at her. She was trying to hide her feelings again, and Tony refused to let her recoil back into her shell. She needed to know that it was ok, and that she could always cry on his shoulder.

"Ziva" He said softly. She turned, once again, to face him. Once he held her gaze, he continued "You can always lean on me. I will always be a shoulder you can cry on. Don't forget that."

She took in what he had said and after a few moments, she replied "I won't, I trust you, Tony" She choked back the emotion in her voice. Once again Tony held her against him. Not another word was spoken for minutes, as the pair stood, entwined into one another's warm embrace. The crying woman one again held firmly in Tony's arms.

**Please review. This is my first shot at a touching/romantic moment. Please tell me what you think! :D I can't wait to hear from you all!**


	4. Chapter 4: Game Change

**Chapter 4 –Game change**

**A/N: (Okay people, this is a blanket review, I'm using it for all my stories, but know I mean every word!)**

**So... hi everyone. I think I have replied to all who have review, if I missed you then I'm really sorry! And to all my anonymous reviewers, your comments are much appreciated. Thanks also for the story alerts and favourites! Always make me smile :)**

**PLEASE READ THIS! (I'LL KEEP IT SHORT ) Okay, I need to apologise to you all, again, for the really late update! I am trying REALLY hard to get updates out but High School is super hectic and I just haven't gotten many chances to put pen to paper. Hopefully things will calm down soon and I will have more free time. I WILL DEFINITALY FINISH ALL OF MY STORIES! Promise! I know where they are going and everything; I just haven't had a moment to write it down. Please stick with me! I love knowing you guys are reading I've learnt my lesson though, after I finish my 'works in progress' I will write the stories fully first and then upload the chapters regularly. Won't keep you guys waiting that way!**

**I'm going to update all my chapter of all my stories soon to, but it's just housekeeping; editing. **

**Thanks for your understanding everyone. I'm blessed to have such amazing readers! I hope you enjoy this! :)**

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><p>Chapter 4 –Game change<p>

Gibbs walked through the sliding doors into Autopsy. The elderly M.E and his assistant looked up at his arrival.

"Ah, Jethro. What brings you down here?" Ducky asked, diverting his attention for the open report on his desk.

"Need to talk to you Duck." Hearing Gibbs' familiar statement, Palmer took what he assumed to be his cue to leave. He stopped cleaning the various autopsy instruments and hurried towards the exit.

"Hold up Palmer, you too." The lead agent said baffeling the younger man. Though, never one to wuestion Gibbs, Jimmy went and stood next to his mentor at the M.E's desk.

"What's happened Jethro?" Ducky asked carefully, having already decided all was not well.

Gibbs sighed quietly; this wouldn't be easy. "McGee got a call this morning from Abby. From what she said, we know three men entered the apartment and attacked her."

"Oh my, where is the dear girl now?" Ducky asked softly.

"They got her. She fought them for a while but McGee couldn't get there in time. She's missing and the only thing we have to go on is the call and her trashed apartment. It's covered in blood Duck. From what McGee said, Abby sounded like she was fighting to stay conscious, wouldn't be supprised if most of it's hers. She fell into a glass table, we know that much." He sighed in frustration at just how little they _did _know.

After a moment of pensive silence, Palmer spoke up and asked, "What can I do Agent Gibbs?"

A ghost of a smile graced Gibbs' features. Palmer's loyalty to the team was laudable. Whenever he could, the young assistant was ready and willing to lend a helping hand.

"Nothing yet, but I'll let you know." He simply stated.

"Wherever you need us Jethro." Ducky offered.

With a nod of thanks and approval, Gibbs retreated back towards the elevator, hoping his team had something.

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><p>"Why are you doing this?" Abby asked, determined not to show this man just how afraid she really was.<p>

"I think you know the answer to that, Abby!" He spat her name as if it were venom.

"What was I supposed to do! Not find the truth! It's your own fault for underestimating my ability. I'm a better forensic scientist than you gave me credit for. That was your mistake, not mine!"

"I was so close! I could taste the revenge! I did a pretty, good job, didn't I? But you turned on me, Abby!"

"I was never _with_ you in the first place! What you did was wrong, spiteful, evil!"

"He deserved it!" The man yelled at her.

"He was wrong! He made a mistake! You didn't have to-"

"You just couldn't leave 'well enough' alone, could you?" He paused and when no response came he yelled again, "Could you!"

Abby looked deep into his dark, brown eyes and saw nothing but hate; pure hate. He was mad as a cut snake, dangerous and unpredictable.

"And know, Abby, you're going to pay. They're all going to pay! I know how this must be killing Tim. He can't live without you. Think about Ziva, you two are like sisters right? Gibbs is practically losing a daughter. Oh and poor, poor Tony. He must be worried about his baby sister by now, don't you agree?"

Abby stayed silent; there was nothing she could say anyway.

"You may be holding your tongue now, Abby, but soon, very soon, all that will change." He said in a menacing tone before leaving her, alone, to cry all the tears she had forbidden to fall. He was back and this time, she was bound by his restraints. The shoe was in the other foot, and the game had changed completely.

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><p><strong>AN: Quite short, I know.. Sorry about that. I wanted to end it here though so that the next chapter can be all the connecting of the dots and more action packed I guess. :)**

**Sooo... do you know who has Abby yet? Don't worry if you're still not sure, all will be revealed for good in the next chapter I love hearing from you all! Hope you like it.**


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